Can’t Get Enough Glock: Perfection’s First Review

The Austrian-made pistols have become icons to a certain segment of the handgun world; for good reason. It is fair to say, the forward-looking company was one of the main movers in popularizing polymer frames on pistols, as well as the striker-fired system.

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Glock has been so ahead of the curve, it is easy to forget the company has been producing pistols since 1982. Truly, that’s enough time for the company’s handguns to build a pretty dedicated following. And it has.

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To be sure, the main thing that gets Glock fans’ hearts a thumping are the pistols themselves. But for those who can’t get enough Glock, there is some swag they can hunt after to compliment their handguns.

Some of the coolest out there and most obtainable, with patients, are early reviews of Glocks. The video above from Gun Websites documents the first review of the company’s pistol in an American publication.

The article ran in the October 1984 edition of Solider of Fortune and was written by Peter Kokalis. As the video points out, Kokalis traveled to Austria to get a first-hand look at the European pistol and was blown away by the company’s first gun – the Glock 17. The review turned out to be highly positive, helping lay the groundwork for the pistol’s dominance in the American market.

The other interesting point the video touches on in regard to Kokalis’ article is why Glock did not enter the race to replace the M1911 as the U.S. Military’s sidearm in the 1983 trials. To get the skinny on that part of Glock’s history, however, you’ll have to watch the video proper.

For Glock fans out there, early reviews – especially the very first one – are a pretty cool additions to a collection. And they are certainly a reason to keep eyes peeled for more than just firearms at a gun show.

Elwood Shelton is an online content developer for Gun Digest. He is a gun owner and avid reloader from Colorado. When not at his press or the range he can be found chasing mule deer around the Rocky Mountains.